S/V Southern Charm | 50’ Leopard
5 Ensuite Cabins.
All cabins feature oversized queen beds with added comfort topper with high quality linen sheets. Each cabin has its own private head, bathroom with toilet (head), sink and walk-in shower with platseak comfort, non-slip flooring. Cabins also include a closet and drawers for storage.
Lounging Areas.
Southern Charm features 4 different social gathering areas which include the forward cockpit seating area, the Sky lounge the aft cockpit and salon area. Guests will enjoy the ability to sit with friends, family and guests in an area that accommodates 12 people at a time or a cozy 3-4 people for a more private setting.
Pricing.
Click here for pricing and availability.
Pricing is based on the time of year and how many guests will be on aboard. Contact us for more information regarding price structure and seasonal specials.
Meet the Crew: Captain Kevin & Chef Elizabeth
If ever a couple was built for the close-quarters intimacy of full-time cruising, it’s Kevin and Elizabeth King. These Leopard 50 owners have walked through life side-by-side since infancy. “Elizabeth and I met in church in Fort Smith, Arkansas, when we were about two-years-old,” says Kevin. “Our families were close. We went to church together, and our fathers eventually became business partners. Elizabeth and I even have the same birthday - day, month and year.” After attending the University of Arkansas and working for their families’ telecom company, the
energetic, ambitious couple decided to go into business for themselves. They did so in their usual way, together and full throttle. “In 2005, we decided to start our own real estate brokerage,” says Kevin. “It took off like mad. With Elizabeth's marketing skills and my sales and recruiting experience, everything just exploded. We became the number one volume real estate office in our region in just our third year.”
Of course, that success came at a price. As much as they loved their work, Kevin and Elizabeth knew they needed both a way to occasionally escape the demands of entrepreneurship and a plan for their long-term future, i.e., retirement. As it turns out, there was a one-word answer for both: Sailing. “Elizabeth came up with an idea to go sailing,” says Kevin. She found a crewed charter in the BVI, and we went and absolutely loved it.” Loved it a lot. Kevin, who never goes along for the ride, spent much of that first cruise learning the basics of sailing from the crew. Over the next three years, the Kings immersed themselves in their new passion. They took ASA courses and went on more cruises. Kevin even volunteered to crew on passages up and down the East Coast. The couple was pleasantly surprised by the welcome and support they received from their fellow cruisers. “The sailing community is made up of a lot of good, caring people,” says Kevin. “They're like-minded. They enjoy sailing, obviously, but they also enjoy the sense of community and helping others. It’s amazing how quickly you can make friends even during a pandemic.” In 2019, the Kings put their seamanship to a life-changing test. They successfully crossed the Atlantic via the Azores with their three kids on a friend’s Leopard 45. The trip sealed their decision to go full-time and validated their 2018 decision to purchase a Leopard 50.
Kevin and Elizabeth took delivery of their 50 earlier this year and say it checks every box on their design and performance list. “We liked the Leopard a lot because of the forward hatch and the forward seating area,” says Kevin. “We love the flybridge, too. The heavy displacement is important to us. The boat is solid, like a tank. We've been in some pretty high winds being offshore, and it handles great. We've never felt unsafe with the Leopard. Taking the option of the larger engine was a good call. We use that added power a lot coming in and out of some inlets in Florida.” The Kings’ Leopard, Southern Charm, is now pretty much home for Kevin, Elizabeth and their daughter, who is finishing up high school remotely from the Leopard’s lounge area. While the couple must occasionally spend time in Fort Smith as they wrap up the sale of their business, they hurry back to Southern Charm as soon as possible.
The COVID pandemic has had a mixed impact on the King’s new-boat experience. On the downside, the couple was forced to cancel a planned maiden cruise to the Bahamas, a cruise to Acadia National Park in Maine, and visits by friends and family. But the corona-caused acceptance of remote meeting options reduced the need for those trips back to Arkansas. Once the all-clear sounds, the Kings would like to explore the Bahamas and circumnavigate the world. Closer in, they look forward to introducing their friends and family to Southern Charm and the world of sailing. “Fort Smith is a border town with the Arkansas River wrapping around half of it, “ says Kevin.
“We have lakes all around the city, so lots of our friends grew up skiing and wakeboarding and all that kind of stuff, but nobody's really been on a big sailboat.”
The couple also plans to offer crewed cruises on Southern Charm. Kevin says they might do ten or fifteen cruises a year, “just enough to cover some of our cruising costs.” And scratch their entrepreneurial itch, no doubt. When exactly all this might happen is still up in the air, given the continued health concerns. And that’s fine with the Kings. “We've kind of quit planning with COVID,” says Elizabeth. “We have a general idea of what we're going to do, and then we're just pretty loosey-goosey from there.” Adds Kevin: “We were on a treadmill with work for a long time. We want to spend some quality time enjoying the slow route. Not hurrying on an agenda to get anywhere, but enjoying the places we visit and taking the time to meet locals and enjoy the local food, and get to know people a little bit instead of hurrying to get the next spot.” One thing is certain, even in these crazy times. Whatever the future holds for Kevin and Elizabeth, they’ll experience it hand-in-hand.
Sample Menu
Breakfast
All breakfasts served with fresh fruit, yogurt, granola, assorted juices
and your choice of any number of cafe style coffee’ s.
Coconut pancakes w/ mango & lime syrup
Egg and Peppered Bacon Quiche,Garlic Cheese Grits
Waffle Bar! Fruits, honey, syrup, chocolate chips, sprinkles, Nutella, peanut
butter, Fried Chicken
Scrambled Eggs, Candied Bacon, Biscuits,
Eggs Benedict, Broiled Grapefruit
Bananas Foster French Toast
Omelets, Crispy Potatoes, Strawberry Soup,
Breakfast Sandwich
Lunch
Bang Bang Mahi-mahi Tacos, Mexican Black Beans, Street Corn
Banh Mi Sandwich, Spring Rolls, Chinese Coleslaw
Smash Burgers, Potato Salad, Deviled Eggs, Black Bean Salsa
Southwest Chicken Salad, quesadillas, guacamole
Creamy Garlic Shrimp Pasta, Caprese Salad
Mahi-Mahi Reuben Sandwich, plantains
Asians Chicken Salad, grilled pineapple
Lobster BLT’s, Cucumber Salad
Chicken Caesar Salad Pasta
Summer Salad with Cumin-Crusted Salmon
Dinner
Entrees
Kabobs, Wedge Salad, Maple Bacon Sweet Potato’s
Lobster Beurre Blanc in Fettuccine, Citrus Salad
Perfect Pork Tenderloin, mushrooms, Herb New Potato’s, Salad
Flank Steak with chimchuri, Twice Baked Potato, Doe’s House Salad
Mahi-Mahi with Thai Coconut Curry over Rice
BBQ, Ultimate Mac N Cheese, Cowboy Baked Beans, Slaw
Fillet Mignon with Mustard Cream Sauce and Mushrooms, Lobster Risotto,
Caesar Salad
Desserts
Southern Banana Pudding
Key Lime Pie
Chocolate Cake with Homemade Basil Ice Cream
Bananas Foster
Pound Cake with Strawberries
Frozen Chocolate Mousse
Captain’s Creme Brûlée
What People Are Saying
“I honestly think the best part of the trip was the atmosphere you guys created. You were fun, kind and went out of your way to make this trip super awesome. This may be the first vacation where I gained weight. The meals were fabulous! We were spoiled rotten with all the comforts of home. The boat is gorgeous, the hospitality definitely Southern, and the activities top notch!”
— Guy & Hope
“Can't recall a time that I have been more relaxed. No better way to welcome in 2021 and our hopes for a less chaotic, less stressful, and healthy year. Thank you for the unique experience and for showing us land-loving Midwesterners what we're missing.”
— Robert, Sheila, & Eric
“Thank you for an amazing experience. From the beautiful new boat, to the incredible food to the stunning islands - we had such a blast! Thank you for your patience with picky eaters and the fishing obsessed - you truly made the trip so special for our friends and us! HIGHLIGHTS - tuna nicose salad, banana pudding, all the paddle boards, breakfast crepes, shipwreck snorkeling, fishing, and a dance party karaoke to end 2020. Complete with costumes! It was a lovely and restful week aboard a boat that brought peace to our souls.
— Mike & Caitlin
“We were able to snorkel through beautiful reefs, eat at fabulous restaurants, fish for our dinner, and even learn how to sail. We owe this all to our fabulous hosts, Kevin and Elizabeth. Through the years we have sailed numerous times with Kevin and Elizabeth manning the helm. We have traveled to the Leeward Islands, Spanish Virgin Islands, British Virgin Island, and the Exumas. Thanks to them we are currently looking for our own boat. They have instilled in us a love for sailing for which we will be forever grateful. I encourage you to discover what true southern hospitality is on their beautiful 2020 Leopard 50, Southern Charm.”
— Clay & Susan